A/N: Thank you all for your kind words and praises. Phoenix's eyes lit up when she saw her mailbox. It was a thrill to see so many reviews and from new readers as well. Please, continue to read. I am still sad that it is ending but I know my dear Phoenix has done far more than we could have ever imagined.

I hope you enjoy the last few chapters. This will be the last chapter for the night. Phoenix thinks that this will come to its conclusion tomorrow. On Thursday or Friday, she will be posting her new story 'Into the Mind's Eye'. I have met the new Erik and I must tell you, if I did not succumb to my Erik already, I would be with this one.

Once again, the stage is yours.

With much love,

Angelina

Chapter 51 – Falling into the Abyss

"Angelina!"

Angelina did not turn around. She would ignore her father's voice. Not only was Jonathan in danger, Erik was as well. How would she save the man she had come to know and love?

"Angelina!" Raoul grabbed her arm and turned Angelina to him. "Where is Jonathan?"

She pulled away from him. "What have you done!"

"What have I done! I saved you from the Phantom."

"I did not need saving! Erik has been nothing but kind to me."

"Is that his name! He has bewitched you just as he did with your mother."

She shook her head. Erik had been nothing but sincere to her since she had met him. Her father had it all wrong. "No, Erik…Erik loves me!"

"Has he told you this?"

"Not in so many words. But I know he would not hurt me."

"He will take you away from your family – your friends. He took you away from Jonathan."

"What will it take for you to understand that I do not love Jonathan!" Tears began to form in her eyes. "I love Erik!" Angelina nearly gasped as she watched her father's eyes grew wide.

"You stay here. I will find Jonathan."

Angelina watched as her father began to talk to several of the stage hands and guards. Rene was nowhere to be seen. It was up to her.

Please, God…forgive me for what I am about to do…

Looking around her, Angelina saw no one watching. Sneaking into the darkness, she knew what she had to do.

I must find Erik. I need to save him from himself.

Jonathan struggled against the binds that held him against the steel grate. Blood ran into his eyes. His head had been cut open as the monster tied him.

"She does not love you."

He watched as the monster kept his back to him. Stripped out of his priest costume, the Phantom stood with his back rigid and his movements full of anger. His wig was missing, giving Jonathan the full view of the hideous creature before him.

"How could she ever love someone like you?"

"Love runs deeper than just mere appearances." Erik looked upon the boy that he had bound against the barrier. "She loves me."

"You have her under your spell. Raoul wrote to me…" Jonathan stopped as he listened to the laughter.

"Raoul? The only reason he is alive is because I allowed it."

"You will kill me then?"

"It is quite possible."

"Angelina will hate you."

"So be it."

He turned and watched a flicker of fear passed over Jonathan's eyes. The boy is not as brave as he appears to be. The water rippled as he began his journey toward the coward. Erik held the lasso tight in his hand. It felt like a dead weight. He knew Angelina would never speak to him again but this is what he had to do.

Jonathan struggled as the noose was fit around his neck. "She will hate you."

"She hates you already. I do not fear what she will think of me. Do you? Are you so obsessed with her that you could not let her go?"

"She loves me."

Erik laughed. "She broke off the engagement."

"Because you willed her to."

"I never told her to break off the engagement. I told her nothing of what I feel for her. Understand me now, boy…everything Angelina has ever done has been of her own accord. She is not a puppet. She is a beautiful young woman with her own choices. I have only been there, by her side, as she wanted."

Erik wrapped the rope around his hand as he walked away from Jonathan. "I promise you, it will be over in a few minutes."

Tiny footsteps were heard echoing through the lair. Erik watched out of the corner of his eye Angelina burst in.

"Erik, no!"

Angelina stopped short at the edge of the water. She watched Erik's hand tremble – the rope pulled taut in his hand.

"Leave, Angelina."

"The mob is coming. My father is on his way."

"Then it will end my suffering."

"Please, Erik…let him go."

"Tell me you love him."

Angelina looked at Erik quizzically. "What!"

"That is why you are here. You are here to save him."

"No, Erik, that is not why…"

"Angelina, go! Your father will protect you." Jonathan's eyes rolled back in his head as Erik pulled on the rope.

Erik watched as Angelina grimaced. "He is what you want, is he not?"

"I broke off the engagement."

"That does not mean anything."

"I do not love him!"

Tears spilled down her cheeks. There was no love for Jonathan. She could bear it no longer. She loved Erik. There was nothing she could do to hide it.

"Spare me your pleas and outcries. I know what you feel."

"No, Erik…" Her hands reached out as he pulled the rope again. "Erik, please, you do this it will be just as the others."

"It will not matter."

"But it does matter."

"Why?"

"Because you have something to live for."

"I have nothing to live for! You will be with the boy just as Christine is with the fop she married!"

The rope rung tighter around Jonathan's neck. Angelina could hear him gasp for air. She wished to see Jonathan safe but wished to remain with Erik.

How will I prove it to him?

"I will not marry, Jonathan. Please, Erik, I am begging you to let him go. We can go where you wish. All I ask is that you let him go."

"You will go with me as a prisoner."

"No, I will go with you as…" Her mind was reeling, not letting anything sink in. All she saw was Jonathan hanging.

"No more time, Angelina. I am done!" He pulled again and listened as Jonathan gasped for his last breaths.

"Erik!"

"The boy dies!"

"I love you!"

The words echoed off of the rock walls and in Erik's heart. Tears streamed down her face. Was it a moment of weakness or did she truly love him? He remembered the letter that Angelina had written to her brother. But things had changed since then. She knew of what he really was.

She does not love me…

His eyes glared at her. "You are saying this to save the boy. Do not mock me, Angelina."

"No! Erik, please…how can I…how can I show you?"

"You cannot. Leave me in…"

"There will be no peace for you if you do this act. You murder him, you will be just like Monsieur Vasilev. You will hurt me more than I can bear."

Erik stilled at the thought of Vasilev. The man's life had been taken to save her. Why was he taking the boy's?

To save yourself…

"Leave, Angelina…"

"I will say it again. I love you."

"You cannot love a monster."

He watched as she began toward him. Angelina walked with style and grace even through the icy water. Her black gown did not seem to deter her. His breath caught as she stepped in front of him. Erik was naked to the world. His deformity was not the only thing shed before her – it was his soul as well.

"Angelina…"

"I love you, Erik. I have been wanting to scream it from the rooftops for weeks. I have not had the courage. But I thought the kiss I gave you days ago would prove to you that I loved you. So I will send the message again…"

"Do not do this."

"Erik, I love you." Her lips were hot against his. The water had chilled his entire body but was quickly warmed by her touch. Her finger tips slowly danced over his marred skin causing him to moan.

Suddenly, he remembered the kiss that Christine had given him. It was a way to set her free. It would damn him for all eternity.

He pushed Angelina away, nearly causing her to fall into the dark depths. "Damn you!"

"Erik…"

"You knew…I told you what your mother did to set her free. You used it!"

"No, Erik…that is not why…"

"Take him! Take him and leave. Leave me to my solitude as I should have been left."

He shoved passed her, making his way to his private sanctuary behind the velvet red curtain. Angelina stood in the murky waters as tears ran down her cheeks.

"Angelina…" Jonathan's voice was hoarse.

Looking up, she saw Jonathan still bound by ropes. Rushing over to him, she quickly freed him. Angelina watched as Jonathan rubbed the raw spots on his wrists.

"We must leave quickly before the monster changes his mind." Jonathan began to trudge through the water but turned to see Angelina had not moved. "Angelina?"

"I am not going with you."

"You did not mean what you said. You cannot possibly love that vile creature."

"He is a man."

"He is a monster."

She shook her head. "You have changed. You are not the man I married when I was ten."

"We were children, Angelina."

"Yes, we were. And I am no longer a child." Beginning toward the velvet curtain, a single tear ran down her cheek. "Good-bye, Jonathan."

"You stay with him, you will be hunted."

"So be it. At least I will be loved by a man and not a boy."

She ran toward the private room. Jonathan knew that there was only one man that could take her from the monster.

I must find Raoul…

Angelina stood with the velvet curtain pulled back behind her. She watched as Erik sat in front of dozens of sketches of her. They were different features – eyes, lips, hair…then there were ones of her dancing, sleeping, weeping…

"Erik…"

"I told you to leave with the boy."

"I do not love him. I love you."

"I wish you would stop saying that. My heart cannot bear any more."

"Why do you deny yourself love?"

"I deny it because it never existed. You do not love me, Angelina. You pity me."

"Do not put words in my mouth." She knelt beside him. "We must leave. My father is bringing as many men as possible to find you."

"I do not care any longer."

"Please, Erik…"

"I love you, Angelina." He looked at her – his cheeks stained with tears. "That is why I must let you go."

Her heart broke. He loves me… Angelina could not believe that he had muttered the three words she had been longing to hear.

"You love me?"

"Please, go…"

"Do you love me?" She demanded to know.

"Yes. You claimed my heart a long time ago."

"And my mother…?"

"…Was an obsession. You are real." He put a hand to her face. "To save you, I will hurt you."

"I am not leaving this lair without you." She could hear the mob coming down the stairs. "Please, Erik, if you love me you will leave with me. They will kill you."

She stood, holding out her hand. His eyes lingered on the hand. All he could see was Christine placing the ring in his hand and closing his fingers around it. Erik could not let it happen again.

"Go."

Angelina knew his mind would not change. She nodded. "Then I will. But know this…I love you, Erik. No other man will fill my heart as much as you have. You have set my soul free. You made me feel for the first time. Thank you."

After she took her first step, Erik felt his heart open into an abyss of darkness. He would not be able to survive without her. Her presence had filled him and he did not even know it. The loss would kill him.

"Angelina…" She stopped and waited. He stood and moved behind her. "…do not leave me…my angel."

Her heart broke and the tears that were held at bay trickled down her cheeks. Sobs racked her body.

"Say it again, Angelina."

"I love you."

She turned to him and threw her arms around his neck. Erik's arms wrapped around her – not wanting to let go.

"They are coming, Erik."

"Do not fear, Angelina. I assure you that you are safe with me."

"Kill the Phantom!"

"Destroy the monster!"

Angelina shivered in his arms as she heard the screams from the mob. Erik kissed her forehead and gently pulled away.

"We must go."

She nodded her head and took his hand. Beginning out, Erik stopped short near the edge of the water. Peering around him, she gasped in horror at the sight before her.

At least twenty men stood before them with Jonathan and her father in front. Torches, knives, pitch forks, and many more instruments were held by the men who longed to see Erik's blood spilled.

"Let her go!" Raoul screamed. He would not lose Angelina.

"I am afraid, Vicomte, that you have lost."

"Angelina, come to me."

Erik watched as Angelina shook her head. He smiled at her and entwined their fingers together. It was the cocking of a gun that had Erik's eyes widen in fear.

Angelina watched as her father pointed a pistol at Erik's heart. "No!" She stood in front of Erik.

"Angelina, move."

"I love him, father."

"He has bewitched you!"

Erik tried to move Angelina but there was no stopping her. Remembering the trap door within his sanctuary, he began to devise a way of escape.

"I love him. You cannot change my heart!"

"Come home with me."

"No."

"There is no more discussion." Erik's voice echoed throughout the lair. "Say good-bye, Vicomte."

Angelina had no time for a reaction as fire surrounded her. Erik grabbed a hold of her waist and within moments they had disappeared from the lair.

Raoul raced toward the flame. As it died, so did he. Angelina and Erik had disappeared.

"No!" He fell to his knees and cried. His scream echoed off of the walls and the opera house itself.

He had lost his daughter – his last tie to the mortal world besides his beautiful and loving wife. Alexander had died and Angelina had traveled to the depths of Hell with a monster. He cursed himself – damned himself.

My Angel is lost…